Artificial tooth.



H. RUTLAND.

ARTIFICIAL TOOTH.

APPLICATION FILED PERM. 191:5

Patented Sept. 16 1915.

WITNESSES /K M HEDLEY BUTLAND, or YORK, Hausa mama.

ARTIFICIAL TOOTH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 16, 1913..

Application filed February 24, 1913. Serial No. 750,290.

To all whomz't may concern:

Be it known -that I, HEDLEY RUTLAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at York, in the county of York and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Artificial Teeth, of'whieh the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in 1 artificial teeth, and is designed especially to provide-- a novel means of attaching such a tooth to a base or dental plate or to bridgework as iseustomary in dentistry.

The primary object of my invention is the provision of a simplified means of attachment of the artificial tooth to the plate or bridgework by means of which I secure a stronger adherence of the parts, insure a minimumof grinding, and distribute the pressure more equally over the attaching post or pin.

The invention consists essentially in the manner of attaching the tooth to the base and involves a slotted tooth adapted to incase an obliquely arranged post, the tooth being applied to the back and passed over the post at an angle, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings I have 80 illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention constructed according to the best mode I have so far devised for the practical application of the principles of the invention, and it will of course be understood that, although I have illustrated only one tooth and its attaching means, a plurality of teeth may be independently applied in like manner.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of an artificial tooth involving the features of my invention. ,Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of a toioth'attaehed to a plate according to my invent-iom and showing in dotted lines the position before initial movement of the.

tooth in attaching the same to the plate. Fig. 3 is a View in. perspective of a portion of the plate or bridgework with an attaching post integral therewith. Fig. 4" is a sectional view of the tooth. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the tooth showing it atta -cd to a plate. Fig. 6 is a back or rear view of the tooth. Fig. '7 is a top plan view of the tooth.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention I utilize the standard porcelain tooth designated as 1, which is mad hv usual process and formed with a recessed socket 2. The side walls of the socket recessed or countersunk to form grooves 3, 3, which, it will be apparent in the figures ofdrawing. and particularly in Fig. 4;, are obliquely arranged to incline outwardly from the top to the bottom of the socket 2-. Thus-the top of the grooves starts at the top andinner face of the tooth and c-Xtetids obliquely the width of the socket, to the bottom of the same. 1i,

I have illustrated at 4; aportlon of bridge work or 'backplate towhich the tooth uiav be attached. The integral post 5 projects a considerable distance from the plate and is adapted to be incased by the slotted tooth. The plate is made of usual material and the integral post is fashioned with a pair of obliquely extended ribs 6, 6 which are prcjeeted in thesame plane as the groove 3 are to the perpendicular, and are theret complementary thereto. The post is oi course located at the front of the plate and 1s adapted to receive the tooth, or rather be incased by the tooth. The tooth may beheld to the post by frictional contact therewith, or if desired a cement may be employed, as usual, to cause the parts tofadhere.

In assembling the parts, the tooth {.osi tioned so that the pair of grooves 3 may be made to slide over the ribs 6. see dotted lint-s Fig. 2. Starting in this position the tooth is pushed upwardly and the ribsv o i'side the tooth inwardly, the parts being rictional contact thc post with the was as well as the ribs with the grooves. The rontinned movement of the tooth auses the tooth to be wedged in between the ribs and the plate t, and as a rule this frictional engagement will be sutlicient to hold the tooth in place. However. as a precautionary measure, it found desirable an adherent ma'y be used is customary to cement the parts together.

It will be apparent that continuous use of the tooth. after being located in proper place, will, through the upward pressure thereon, tend to force the tooth in closer frictional contact with the post and its ribs and the plate, thus compensating for any possible wear, and preventing the tooth from be coming loosened. It will also be apparent,

that should the tooth be broken or marred;

in any'manner, and it thus become desirable that a new tooth be substituted for the defer-.tive one, the removal of the defective tooth may be easily accomplished, and a new tooth applied with facility. This performance is especially meritorious in that it permits the substitution of one tooth for another, without interference with the bridgework. or other permanent foundation.

From the above 'descrip lion taken in connection with the drawings it becomes evident that I have provided an artificial tooth and attaching means which accomplishes its purpose and performs its functions in an easy and eflicient manner, and provides an economical and durable article of manufacture.

What I claim is The combination with a dental plate, having an integral vertical post formed with an obliquely extending rib on each side thereof, of a complementary tooth recessed and grooved for the reception-of said post and ribs, whereby the tooth may be wedged between the obli ue ribs and the'plate.

In testimony w ereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HEDLEY RUTLAND.

Witnesses:

JAMES B. SHAFFER, MARTIN D. HEFFNER. 

